Diving hood or device



April 12, 1938. J. E. WILLIAMSON 2,113,779

DIVING HOOD OR DEVICE Filed Sept. 13, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l 15 Il M- nll 16 a B 16 I INVENTOR. JJHN ERNEST WILL/HMSUN ATT NEY.

April 12, 1938. J.YE. WILLIAMSON DIVING HOOD OR DEVICE Filed Sept. 13, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JUHNERNEET W/LL/FIMSEIN Patented Apr. 12, 1938 UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE mvmo noon on nnvrcn John Ernest Williamson, Lake Worth, Fla.

Application September 1 2 Claims.

My present invention relates to improvements in diving hoods or devices especially adapted for use in making under-water or submarine observations or explorations.

'Prior to my invention, helmets used in underwater work have been constructed of rigid metal of considerable weight, and have in many instances been adapted for connection with special divers suits. It has been generally believed necessary in making under-water observations or explorations to provide a rigid helmet of great strength and weight. Such structures are not only cumbersome, but are relatively expensive and hence the use thereof has been confined almost exclusively to professional divers engaged in commercial enterprises. I

By virtue of my experience in submarine or under-water work, I have discovered that it is not essential in all cases to provide a heavy rigid metal helmet for association with a special diving suit to provide an armor in order to enable persons to enjoy spending considerable time beneath the surface of bodies of water, and my present invention resides principally in the provision of flexible, light, relatively cheap, and foldable hoods or head encasing members which may be worn by anyone desiring to descend beneath the surface of water and remain submerged for considerable periods of time with the utmost of comfort and safety.

The principal general object of my present invention is to provide flexible or foldable relatively light and cheap devices for the above purpose, especially constructed and arranged for easy application over the head to exclude any appreciable amount of air from between the devices and the sides, top, and back of the head, while providing ample-space between the fronts of the devices and the faces of the wearers especially breathing is effected, thus eliminating, to a considerable extent, the natural buoyancy of air filled helmets. J

The hoods or head encasing devices of the above type are especially designed to receive a supply of air thereinto either from portable tanks carried by the users, or from a source of supply above the water, and which in either case is supplied through a preferably flexible tube terminat- 50 ing within the devices to supply the air to the wearers for proper breathing, and creating within the flexible devices pressures substantially balancing the pressures existing at the depths beneath the surface of the water and at which the helmets are used.

adjacent the nose and mouth through which s, 1935, Serial No. 40,503 (on. 01-10) Another and more specific object of the invention is to provide flexible head encasing devices of the above type preferably formed of transparent material such as moisture-proof Cellophane or other regenerated cellulose products. If desired, rubber or other flexible waterimpervious materialshavinga window provided therein to afford clear visibility beneath the surface of the water may be used. The advantage or desirable feature of the transparent hoods or helmets is'that they permit instant identification and observation of the wearers beneath the water,

as well as on the surface while also affording clear visibility in all directions. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a 15 diving hood or device for use in making subma rine or under-water observations or explorations, composed of a collar-like member which may be of standard size, and dome-shaped flexible foldable head enclosing members of the character 20 mentioned adapted to be detachably connected to the collar, so that dome-shaped head enclosing members of different sizes may be interchangeably used with the collar-like or neck-encircling member to effect accomplishment of the minimizing of buoyancy, and to permit proper fitting of the device to heads of different sizes.

A further object of the invention is to provide in connection with a device of the above type,

a neck-encircling collar-like member provided so with means to readily, contract the same about the neck of the wearer to draw the dome-shaped head encasing portion against and into substantial conformity to the top, back, and sides of the head to eliminate appreciable air spaces at such areas while still affording the air spaces at the front adjacent the nose and mouth of the wearer to eliminate buoyancy and to aflford the necessary breathing spaces to which air is supplied.

A further specific object of the invention is to provide means attachable to the neck-encircling member to hold the same down to overcome what little buoyancy remains after the dome-shaped portion has been drawn into substantial conformity with the head of the wearer, whereby the 4,5 air which enters the hood or helmet will prevent the rise of water therein above the mouth of the wearer without lifting or raising the helmet to an extent which would permit the rise of water above the mouth and nose, of the wearer, thus assuring free respiration, safety and comfort. 1

Still a further specific object of the invention is to provide the contracting means for the neck portion of the hood or helmet of such character detail during the following description'of the sc- Plg. 1 is a side elevation of a hood of helmet embodying the invention in extendedposition and withpartsbrokenawaytoshowthedetachable connecting means between the dome-shaped head eneaslng member and the neck-encircling mem-- berl'iglzisaviewsimllartol ig. landpartlyin section showing the hood or helmet applied and illustrating the means of introducing air there-' into;

Hg. 3 is a side elevation of the dome-shaped or head member of the device of Fig. 1 shownpartlyinsection anddetachedfromthe g5 neck-encircling member;

Fig.4isaviewsimilartoll'ig.lshowinga modification of the invention;

Hg.5isaviewsimilartoFlg.2,butwhollyin elevation and showing the head or helmet of Fig.

4 applied to the wearer;

Flg.6isavlewtakenonthelinei8of1=ig.4 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

-Flg. '2 is a perspective view of one of the weights whiohmaybeusedinconnection withthe device of1'lgs.4-6toassistinholdingthehoodor Referring tol'igs. 14 of the drawings. the numeral I tea the dome-shaped head member, illustrated as' being of 40 tmateriaLandwhlchmaybeformed by molding any suitable cellulosic, pyroxylin, or other suitable compound, or by cutting sheets of regeneratedcelluloseorthelikeintosuchsegmentsastoenablethemtobeassembledbyjoin- 5 lug together with suitable adhesive to form the dome-shaped member 8. The lower end of the memberlisopenandisshownashavingatape I seemed around the open mouth of the member either by stitching or adhesive. The tape 8 carries 1' elements I! which interlock with similar elements ll carried by a tape H attachedto the collar portion ll of the device. Thk separable fastening means is well known as a zipper" and is commercially available. A key i2 es and es the elements in and II. by movement therealong, and I prefer to use the type of key and elements iU-lll' which permits entire separation of the members 8 from the collars or neck encircling members It to 50 whichthetape ll isattached. Itwillbenoted that the collar l8, which may he made ofranv flexible material of appreciable strength. preferably fabric, is arranged around the member 0 extending below the lower open end of the memher 8.

Thedimensionsoithememberlaresuchas to-permit them being placed over the heads of normal persons with the collar portion l3 and the lower ends of members 8 below the chin.

Since it is an important feature of the invention to eliminate as much as posible the buoyancy of the head encasing members, the diameters of the members 8 are substantially the same as the distance between the nose and back of the head oi the average person with some slight clearance tofscilitateplacingthedevicesoverthebead andremovingthem. 0! co memberslcanbemadeindlflerentsiaemasfor children, women and men, to eflect this fit.

'on their lower ends snap books it. The loops ll havethreadedtherethroushacordll whichruns atcertainpointaasbetweentbesidesofthe neckandacrossthebackattheneckdoubly loo preferablyat least on 0 en WBiBht toholdsaidendofth thedevlceisbeingwornintbewatersothatif itisneoessarytountiethe'cordforquickremoval ofthehelmet,thesaidendonwhlchapullis exertedwillbelocatedonthechestofthewearer and not floating around.

Ihave illustrated weights I! suspended from the hooks it, some of the weights arranged individually and others in groups on certain of the hooks. Thisillustratedentisonlyto' 'ofthehoodorheadmembertoascendlo abovethedesiredpointatwhichthewaterlevel within'thehoodorheadencasingmemberwillbe belowthemouthofthewearerandpreferably -adjacentoriustbelowthe-chin.

In'I'igJthedeviceisshownextendedreadyto s5 beplacedontheheadwhichisaccomplishedby simplypullingthecollardownoverthetopof the head until the topof e'head meets the -topofthemember8asshowninl'lg.2. Then the cord l8 is-tightenedto contract the collar I3 40 simphr by pulling on opposite ends of the cord. When the collar has been sufllciently contracted v to approach the neck and brought under the chin. yet leaving a space for escapement of air, a slip knot is tied as'indicated at 20 beneath the chin. 4,5 Ihe weight IS on the cord i1 holds that end 0! the cord down adjacent the chest of the wearer for ready grasping without searchingaround for it when it is desiredto remove the device.

Itwillbenotedinl'lg. 2thatwhen the collar so has been contracted the member 8 flts fairly snuglyagainstthetopoftheheadaswellas along the back thereof, and also against the sides of the head and face leaving only an appreciable space II at the front of the device adjacent the so nose and mouth of the wearer.

As previously mentioned, the device is especially adapted.for me in making under-water observations or explorations, and is adapted to receive free air either supplied from a portable tank carso riedbythewearerorfromaseparatesourceof supply above the surface of the water. In either case this air is supplied into the device through flexible tube 22 which leads up between the collar and neck of the wearer across the jaw and preis5 erably to a point between the eye and ear along the side of the face as shown in Fig. 2. However, the user may adjust the tube within the device to terminate therein at any point be desires which will permit the flow of air supplied 70 through the tube to enter the space II from which it is inhaled. When the wearer exhaies the used airadmixedpartlywiththeireshairwhichhas, been supplied through the tube is discharged through the water around the neck of the device 15 e cord down when 15 and out beneath the collar. The pressure of the air supplied may be or is so regulated as to balance the pressure of the water according tothe depth to which the user descends. V

With a flexible device of the character above mentioned any person may descend and observe the effects existing beneath the surface of the water, as well as submarine life or scenes, and

remain as long as desired, or as long as the air for breathing is properly supplied. If the air supply should become exhausted, or if the device should develop a leak from accidental causes which would permit the waterto rise therein above the nose and mouth of the wearer, he simply pulls the string ll permitting the collar to be instantly expanded and the device easily removed from the head whereupon he may quickly ascend and resume normal breathing at the surface of the water.

Another point I would point out is that the pressure of the air which is fed to the interior of the hood or head-encasing member through the tube 22 keeps the level of the water below the nose and mouth of the wearer.

Obviously the member I may be replaced if it develops a defect or leak simply by disconnecting it from the collar and connecting a new one by the slide fastener. Also both members 8 and I! being flexible may be rolled or folded into compact form to be easily carried around or packed when not in use. T

In Figs. 4-6 I have shown a modification of the invention wherein the numeral 25 designates generally a dome-shaped head encasing member corresponding to the member I of Figs; 14, and made according to the specification above given in connection with the member I as to dimensions for securing the substantially snug fit around the head with a space at the front. One difference between the member 8 and the member 25 is that the latterhas a longer front and shorter back, whereas the former is of substantially the same length both at the front and back. The member 25, therefore, has an inclined lower edge 26. Another and essential difference between'the structures of Figs. 1-3 and 4-6 respectively is the provision in the latter of a yoke-like member engageable at opposite sides of the head over the shoulders of the wearer, the said yoke-like member being designated generally by the numeral 21 and having an elongated front '28 and elongated back 29 separated by the notches 30 which fit across the tops of the shoulders of the wearer. The top of the yoke-like member 21 is overlapped by, or may overlap alternatively, the lower end of the member 25 and be secured thereto by any suitable means, such as the detachable fastening means of Figs. 1-3, or by stitching, or suitable water resisting adhesive. Around the junction between the parts 25 and 21 are arranged a plurality of loops or rings 3| receiving the cord 32 similar to the cord 11 and provided on one end with the weight 33 similar to the weight I8 and for the same purpose.

The member 21 may be constructed of any flexible strong material permitting the provision therein of pockets 34 on the front and back extensions 28 and 29. Each pair of pockets is shown separated by a crease 55 defined by stitching or other securing means for joining the material of the pockets to the material of the yokelike member 21. Each pocket is adapted to receiveone or more weights 36, shown in perspective in Fig. 7, which co-operate with the other features of the construction of the device to overcome buoyancy. The pockets are shown as being of tapered formation from top to bottom and the weights 36 are of substantially the same shape, though less dimension, than the pockets to facilitate insertion of the weights'in the pockets and removal therefrom. Preferably the pockets are open at the bottom to permit water to flow freely therefrom when the wearer emerges 'wearer in the same manner as the space 2| of Fig. 2 is provided, and for the same purpose. It

will be noted that in Fig. 5, where the device is shown applied and contracted, that the portions 20 and 29 of the yoke-like member 21 are disposed on the chest and back of the wearer with the weights in the pockets 34 holding the device down in proper position on the head of the wearer. The tube 22' of Fig. 5 corresponds to the tube 22 of Fig. 2 and supplies air into the device from any suitable source of supply as previously mentioned. If desired the tubes may simply. be inserted under the device along the neck and cheek to be held in place by the contracting means or cords l1 and 32 when the same are tightened and tied, or if desired separate fastening elements or clips, not shown, may he applied to the neck portions of the devices to engage the tubes-and assure holding them in place. The latter arrangement might be preferred by amateurs who would fear the displacement of the tubes and the failure of the air supply into the devices.

The manner of applying the device of Figs. 4-6 is the same as described in connection with that of Figs. 1-3, that is, the hood or head en- .casing member is brought down over the head until the top of the head is engaged by the top of the member 25. At that time the portions 28, 29 of the yoke-like member 21 are at the front and back of the body of the wearer immediately below the neck. The cord 32 is then drawn to contract the neck encircling portion and bring the device to the position of Fig. 5, whereupon the cord is tied in a slip knot.

The devices of Figs. 4-6" may also be folded into flat condition or rolled as desired and of course since each of the devices is made of relatively light yet strong water-proof material, they may be easily transported or packed. Furthermore the construction provides for the utmost comfort and safety of the wearer.

What I claim is: f

1. A diving hood or device adapted for use in making underwater observations or explorations, comprising a substantially dome shaped, flexible head encasing member, the lower end of which, when the member is placed over the head, extends toward the neck of the wearer, and means to readily contract the same about the neck of the wearer so as to draw the dome shaped head encasing portion against and in substantial conformity to the top, back and sides ofthe head. to eliminate appreciable air spaces at all such adjacent the nose and mouth, and to afiord the necessary breathing spaces to which air is supplied, said means consisting of means which eliminates buoyancy by squeezing out air space and -areas, while still affording air spaces at the front whichisarrangedunderthechinandinanin clined location around the neck so. as to lie closely against the parletes and the posterior occiput of the head and to be eflective in admitting only the proper water level controllable by the air pressure so as not to interfere with breathing.

2. A diving helmet adapted for deep water use, comprising a dome-shaped, flexible member adaptedto fit around the entire headin close proximity to the surface oi. the cranium, the lower end of which extends towards the neck of the wearer and is contractible about said neck. while the upper portion is conformable to the shapeoithecraniumandincontactwiththe top, back and sides oithehead,leaving onlya smallspaceadiacenttheiacetowhichairmay be supplied for breathing. and means comprising a drawstring which loosely contracts the neck portion or the helmet and has the function of eliminating buoyancy by squeezing out air space. said drawstring occupying a substantially inclined location so as to flt under the chin, pass along the parietes and under the posterior occiput oi the head in order to effectively contact the helmet with the entire sm'iace oi the head, except in front of the face, as specified. JOHN ERNEST WILLIAMSON. 

